I knew something was wrong because she didn’t speak to me when she came home that evening. She left that morning with a lot of excitement. I asked her what was wrong? She said, “They are lost and I can’t find them.”
She had taken her young dogs hunting earlier in the day, and they got lost. She had been hunting with her dogs about 15 miles from home. She spent most of the day looking for the dogs, but to no avail.
That night she spent a lot of time on the phone calling different neighbors to see if they had seen her dogs. To my wife’s good fortune, the dogs were found several days later (sore feet, tired, and real hungry-the dogs, not my wife).
Being lost was not a pleasant experience for the dogs or for my wife, and I believe they really enjoyed being found (both dogs and wife).
I was reminded of something the Bible says about being lost and found. It says that man in his natural state is lost (in great danger) or separated from God.
Isaiah 59:2 ... but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
It also says that Jesus loves us very much and came to find that which is lost.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
If we will acknowledge what Jesus did on the cross for us and put our faith in him (confess him as Lord and Savior, Romans 10:9-11), we will be found (Luke 15:24, 32).
Romans 10:9-11 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Luke 15:24, 32 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.
See you in Church next Sunday.